Grace and peace to you in the Name of Jesus Our Lord and Savior.
I invite you to begin praying for our 150th Church Anniversary Tent Meeting Revival on September 7, 2008 at 10:30 am . Our prayers are that God would use this historic celebration to ignite a revival in our area. Please plan to attend and invite others to join with us in worship under a huge tent in the parking lot!. Bishop Peter Weaver will be preaching on this Sunday and we will have a exciting worship with a church picnic, entertainment , and fun and games for the kids afterward.
As we move forward with great enthusiasm, as we believe God is doing mighty work in our church, it is important to look back and celebrate the 150 years of our proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In our 100th anniversary brochure in 1958, I found an extensive church history that enlightens and inspires. Here are a few excerpts:
The earliest mention of Methodism in Westboro is found in Bishop Asbury’s Journal. Under the date of September 13, 1798, he writes: “We rode twenty miles, the way stony and dusty, to Mr. Nicholl’s in Westborough: here five preachers came together. With hard sighs attempted to preach and was most remarkably assisted upon Titus 2: 11,12” In 1807, having held the Annual Conference in Boston, he started for the west. His journal reads, “June 8. I preached in Lynn, administered the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, and came to Waltham. At Westboro I preached on Monday on Luke 19:10. I lodged at Brother Nicholas'.”
It is important to look at the Scripture that was first preached by Methodists in Westborough;
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and Godly lives in this present age,” - Titus 2:11-12
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." - Luke 19:10
These two scriptures remind us that the power and authority of God’s Word is as relevant today as so many years ago.
Ellison Braley at the church’s 50th anniversary was sure that Jesse Lee had preached here as he did at Hopkinton. Another influence came from the lives and work of two young men who in 1857 came to Westboro to work on a farm hoping to make money enough to study to be preachers. One of these was Warren Browne, whose health failed and who died without reaching his goal. The other was William Nottage who lived to become pastor of the Westboro Church. The zeal of these two men was so great that they began holding meetings in the old Bear Hill Schoolhouse. Much interest was aroused and many converted. Later these meetings were attended by Rev. J.W. Lewis of Hopkinton. About twenty were baptized by him in Lake Whitehall, and received into the Hopkinton Church. It was the converging of these two streams that resulted in the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Westboro on January 5, 1858.
It is important to celebrate that Westborough and Hopkinton Methodists have been connected since the beginning. The Hopkinton Methodist Church helped begin the Methodist Church in Westborough with a donation from Hon. Lee Claflin who gave $100 to help pay the first pastor’s, Rev. Joseph Cromack, salary of $500 for 1858. Today we rejoice that First UMC began the new Grace UMC in Hopkinton 5 years ago and continues to love and support the ministry there through the leadership of Pastor Leigh Dry.
Nancy and I have been praying, since we arrived in Westborough 2 years ago, that a revival would come upon our area. I invite you to join us in this prayer. Rev. Francis Asbury’s preaching of Titus 2 and Luke 19 help us remember that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. As the church of today, we are doing the same. Let us rely on the Word of God and the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to lead us into a renewed passion for Jesus. How beautiful it is to think of the ZEAL of Warren Browne and William Nottage. Though Warren Browne died young, we continue to live his dream of reaching people with the saving love of Jesus.
Please make plans to be present at our 150th Anniversary on September 7, 2008. There is so much more history to share and so much more history to make as we believe the Lord has great plans for our church in the coming years. Invite others to come to church with you so they can be part of the excitement of following Jesus.
As summer approaches let us pledge to honor the sabbath through the summer months. There is a tradition, for some, not to attend church in the summer. I know that is not a tradition for our membership. If you are away on vacation, find a church to visit and bring the blessings from your church family. If you are home in the summer, please do not miss a Sunday . Honoring the sabbath will bless your life in many ways.
I am so very honored to be the present pastor of such a historic and Spirit Filled church.
Amen!
Pastor John
|
